Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/639

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

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��during the wet season, a stream of water issues from the perpendicular side of a rock, falling about thirt^^ feet. In every direction about these falls, the scenery is beautiful, and the traveler is continualh^ stumbling upon wonder- ful things.

Near these beautiful falls, one of the first pioneer meetings in Richland County was held. Dr. S. Riddle, of Ashland, owner of the falls, in a communication regarding this event, writes :

"The first pioneer meeting in Richland County was held at Hemlock Falls the first Sat- urday of September, 1856. The principal actors were Rev. James McGraw and Gen. Brinkerhofl", of Mansfield, Ohio ; Dr. S. Riddle, of Ashland ; Dr. J. P. Henderson, Noah Watt (long since dead), William B. Carpenter, Peter Brubaker, Peter Keller, John Uhler and A. Darling, of Worthington Township, and Solomon Gladden and John Coulter, of Monroe. William B. Car- penter was the President on that occasion, and Dr. J. P. Henderson was Marshal of the day. Speeches were made by McGaw and Brinker- hoff, also John Coulter referred to his early ex- perience in pioneer life and the encounters he had with bears and other wild beasts of the for- est. A large concourse of people were present ; there was music suitable to the occasion, and a splendid picnic-dinner spread out on the beauti- ful green above the Falls. The underbrush had been cleared away by some little boys, who took great delight in so doing. Among that number was G. W. Watts (now dead) and Jonathan Her- ring — who now lives on North Main street, Mans- field, Ohio, and runs the steam-dye works — who were at that time little boys about ten years old. The day was beautiful, and everything went off pleasantly, good order prevailing till the close of the meeting. A short time previous to this meeting, the place had received the name of Hemlock Falls by Gen. Brinkerhoff, who pre- ferred giving it that name instead of an Indian name, as some had suggested. At the second meeting, one year from that time, a large gath-

��ering of the people took place, and a general picnic was held, without any special reference to the pioneers. Speech by Hon. John Sherman. Adjourned to meet again in one year from that time. Third meeting, held a Sunday-school picnic. A very well-behaved and orderly crowd of people was there ; had appropriate music. The speakers on that occasion were Rev. Richard Galley (now dead) and Dr. Riddle. Yearly pic- nics were held there for some years afterward by other parties, but have dwindled down to a mere nothing. The Falls are still owned by Dr. Riddle, who intends to revive again the spirit of the meetings of former days."

Slanting Rock is an enormous fragmentary rock, 80 feet long by 40 wide and 30 in thick- ness, which some convulsioii, of nature seems to have precipitated some considerable distance from the main clifl". This rock stands upon one of its ends, the other pointing upward at an angle of forty-five degi-ees. The ascent of this rock is somewhat perilous, the upper surface slanting about like the roof of an ordinary dwelling. Contiguous to this is another rock of larger dimensions, the upper surface of which is covered with moss and shrubs, which is also detached from the main ledge.

The Eagle's Nest is a bold projecting rock, about sevent3--five feet in perpendicular alti- tude, and is situated one-fourth of a mile north of Hemlock Falls, on the same side of Clear Fork. It received its name from the circum- stance of an eagle having a nest under the the shelving rock near its summit.

A short distance south of Eagle's Nest is the Pioneer Threshing Floor, which rises perpen- dicularly three hundred feet above the waters of the creek. Its upper surface is about fort}- feet square, and somewhat bowl-shaped. The name is derived from the circumstance of its being used during pioneer times for a thrashing floor, for which purpose it is admirably adapted. It is surrounded on two sides by trees of considerable growth. Its position is

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